Gallery: Arctic Ecology 2012 - Churchill

order

categories

since

Arctic Ecology 2012 - Churchill

In 2012 the University of Guelph/Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology's Arctic Ecology course was fortunate to have 8 GigaPans to distribute amongst the students to help them experience, explore, understand and question this special sub-Arctic environment.

The Arctic has many species not found elsewhere and a warming climate is predicted to have a particularly dramatic impact on this unique biodiversity. Understanding Arctic biodiversity has become an important part of the research and teaching at UofG, from first year to senior field courses to graduate research.

Our goal is to expand the opportunities for experiential learning about Arctic biodiversity by students in two courses (Arctic Ecology BIOL*4610 and Discovering Biodiversity BIOL*1070) by using two wo cutting-edge technologies: DNA barcoding and GigaPan imaging. DNA barcoding is a novel genetic method for species identification and discovery that was pioneered at the University of Guelph. The GigaPan is a transformational piece of technology for creating, sharing and annotating high-resolution panoramic photographs.

The digital products of each technology are publicly accessible and sustainably maintained; both are annotated through time by a community of experts and non-experts alike; and both connect the digital and natural worlds.

Our course is based out of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC). Founded in 1976, the Churchill Northern Studies Centre is an independent, non-profit research and education facility located 23 km east of the town of Churchill, Manitoba. The CNSC provide accommodations, meals, equipment rentals, and logistical support to scientific researchers working on a diverse range of topics of interest to northern science. In addition to research, the Centre facilitates a wide range of educational programming ranging from general interest courses for the visiting public to university credit courses for students.

We gratefully acknowledge the support critical for the student GigaPans from the CREATE Lab Outreach Program at
Carnegie Mellon University, the Learning Enhancement Fund of the University of Guelph, the Fine Foundation, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

Ramsay Creek – Hayley and Cassie - 120709
N: 58.73064
E: -93.78055
T: 28C
Ramsay Creek is a fast moving creek with a rocky bottom. Our sampling area was the open area around the creek with tall trees surrounding it.
The area is highly populated with dragonflies, butterflies, spiders, blackflies and ants.
...

120708_Moraine_DNH
Date: 8 July 2012
Collectors: Debbie, Natalie, Hilary
Location: Twin Lakes Moraine
We hiked to the lookout at the Twin Lakes Moraine. It was a spectacular view!
There were caribou tracks at the beginning of the trail before we started out. It wasn’t as long of a hike as we expected it t...

-arrived at site around 10AM and stayed until 12PM
-conditions were overcast, though there were sunny breaks by the time we packed up to leave at 12PM; temperature was about 19° C; heavy breeze (canopy moving)
-the ground was wet in general from the rain the previous night
-mosquitoes were surprisingly irritating cons...

120807 - Arctic Ecology - Churchill Manitoba - CNSC - Debbie, Natalie & Hilary
120707_CNSC_DNH
Date: 7 July 2012
Collectors: Debbie, Natalie, Hilary
Location: Churchill Northern Studies Centre
Notes:
We were finally able to get outside for the first time since we had arrived and were then viciously attacked...

120711 - Arctic Ecology - Churchill Manitoba - Bluff Ponds 8 - Elli
Sampling metapopulations of melanistic Daphnia at Rock Bluff A on July 11, 2012. The view of the Hudson Bay was remarkable which I will never forget. Many aquatic species were found in the rock bluffs such as anostraca, trichoptera, daphnia, copepods,...

Meta

This image was taken on the sandy tidal flats of Hudson Bay just before the tide came in, as we did sampling in the rock bluffs beyond the group of people walking. The image was meant to be a 360 degree view, but the batteries died!

Meta

Ramsay Creek
58.73065 -93.78026
The weather was overcast with some breaks to allow sun through and a slightly breezy enough to move trees and some taller shrubs but nothing close to ground. The ground was flat with rocky patches. The gigapan was placed in the center of a 5x5m quadrate and will be used to further i...